Dating in London can sometimes feel like a full time job; depending on your dating style, there can be so much admin, research and scheduling involved!

With over 9 million people spread across 32 boroughs, finding “your person” in the city feels achievable and at the same time, an extremely daunting mission to undertake.

As a person who met their partner in London (via Tinder, and our first date was at a pub in Islington) I know that dating in the capital is not easy, but it can be done! 

I have compiled the knowledge I have gained through my personal experiences, plus a multitude of friends and acquaintances dating experiences in London, and put it into one handy guide.

Dating in London, UK: Top Tips and Advice on What Actually Works

How to Meet People Organically in London

• Sign up to have dinner with strangers using the app TimeLeft, to meet likeminded people for dinner – you complete a questionnaire and are matched to suitable dinner guests. Alternatively if you’re not as keen on the matching element, you could try a singles supper club such as Gooce (or any supper club for that matter!)
• Take up a volunteering opportunity; cook meals at a local community kitchen, pick up rubbish or volunteer to clear your elderly neighbours garden.
• Have a think about your hobbies, or hobbies you’d like to try. Could you take up a new sport? Try a book club? Perhaps you could help to arrange social plans for your work colleagues?
• Arrange a meet up where each of your friends brings along another pal. It doesn’t need to be in a dating capacity, but widening your social circle never hurts!
• For those feeling brave, could you set up a group for people interested in making new friends? Despite being a bustling city, loneliness is becoming increasingly common, so you might be surprised at the amount of interest a casual group like this sparks.

I’ve written a whole article packed with ideas to meet new people in London; have a read and push yourself to try a few ideas on the list!

Dating Apps to try 

I know many people are strongly against the idea of using dating apps, but I like to think that the apps just help to provide the introductions; once you’ve met someone in person and you’re past the initial awkwardness, it’s exactly the same as meeting them out in the wild.

Also, when meeting people by chance, you never know their personal circumstances. Are they looking for a relationship? Are they married with kids? Are you both shy and therefore likely to never make the first move in person? 

Dating apps help to break down some of the barriers, and you assume that the majority of users are looking for a romantic relationship of some kind, so that’s a good start!

Some of the classic dating apps include Tinder, Hinge, Bumble and newer apps to try include Breeze, Evntful and Feeld.

Dating Events to try in London

If you’re not keen on dating apps, but would like to meet people that are also looking for romantic potential, events in London specifically set up for singles could be worth a try.

Depending on your preferences, here are a few you could check out:

• Get Thursday
• Bored of Dating Apps
• Love Lab

Dating Etiquette and Tips 

Dating is hugely personal and your approach is likely to vary depending on your circumstances. Maybe you have plenty of time to date, and could dedicate several nights a week to meeting new people. Or perhaps your calendar is jam packed and you can realistically aim for one date a month.

Here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way that I think could be helpful for dating newbies:

• Try to treat your dates how you’d like to be treated. I know the dating scene can be an absolute mess at times, but that doesn’t mean you need to start behaving badly too!
• Be honest, don’t play games and avoid ghosting- if you’ve not felt a spark or you’re not looking for anything serious, tell your date. It’s better for all parties to know where they stand, to avoid wasting anyone’s time and allow people to move on and find genuine connections
• We all have busy lives, particularly at weekends, so try arranging a first date on a Thursday. If you think a second date is on the cards, you could then try scheduling a weekend
• This tip is personal, but I would always arrange a drink or coffee for the first date instead of a more formal meal. It’s less pressure, can be cut short if you’re not feeling it, and it’s less expensive too!
• Be open minded; we can build up a negative or overly positive picture of a person within seconds, but often that’s our imaginations running away with us. Give people a fair shot instead of shutting them down instantly, or building them up to be perfect!

First Date Ideas in London

The variety of dates open to Londoners is unmatched! Depending on the vibe, you could arrange:

• A chill walk through one of London’s beautiful parks with a coffee
• A drink at one of London’s cocktail bars if you’re looking for something a little grown up
• A pint at one of your local pubs if you prefer more relaxed, casual dates
• Grab a bite to eat at one of London’s food markets (a more relaxed option for food if you don’t want a sit down meal)
• Listen to live music from local artists at a Sofar Sounds gig. Intimate venues, twinkly lights – the perfect romantic date night idea!
• A wander through London Zoo or a trip to your nearest city farm
• For a fun second date, you could try an immersive theatre trip, an activity bar, an escape room, or an afternoon exploring one of London’s museums

Final thoughts │ Dating in London, UK: Top Tips and Advice on What Actually Works

If you’re looking for a serious relationship it’s probably best to try a mixture of approaches, as sometimes dating can be a numbers game; the more new people you meet, the more likely you are to find one that you click with!

Check out these free money offers for the best freebies and deals around, and follow me over on Instagram & Twitter for daily money saving tips and tricks! 

You can also sign up to my freebie club newsletter for the latest free stuff, deals and hacks… see you there!